The Academy’s Crude Pink-Haired Martial Artist

In the chilly atmosphere, I turned my gaze.

I looked at Stella, pitifully sitting in one corner.

“Oh wow.”

As soon as she saw me, Stella burst into tears once again, still sobbing incessantly. Maybe she had been like that even before I arrived. I guess that’s how it was.

“Looks like you got blown away again, huh?”

I chuckled as I said it… but I recognized what kind of creature Stella was. I could hear the snake lady babbling in front of me.

I had no idea what topic they had strayed onto to provoke such a conclusion, but it was quite shocking.

Akasha.

An entity created to complete that.

Stella Behrhaigen.

Given my current situation, I couldn’t help but think about who had created Stella.

The owner of the gaze I felt before coming here.

As far as I know, the greatest mage.

That bastard who put a hole in my belly.

The ancestor of Behrhaigen.

Kaloso Behrhaigen.

However, when I thought calmly again, it seemed impossible.

I didn’t want to believe that bastard.

But neither did I believe it without evidence nor deny it blindly.

Kaloso isn’t that kind of human.

He has pride. He has high self-esteem, and his ego is as strong as mine. He claims there should be no mage greater than himself, boasting that he alone is closest to the end of magic.

Such a guy.

Wanting to achieve what he couldn’t through someone else’s body?

That’s impossible.

I wasn’t denying it because I believed in Kaloso.

I was denying it because I knew Kaloso well.

Then what on earth is this?

Perhaps I would find out if I beat the girl in front of me.

“That’s quite the audacious little brat.”

The snake lady’s eyes, glaring at Paid, were calm. After all, she had just killed her underling without a hint of disturbance.

Still, I wasn’t surprised by her reaction either.

I knew dark mages were generally such folk.

“I hear that a lot.”

I turned my gaze to Pina, who was hanging in the air. She was still breathing. It didn’t look like her life force was… dwindling, but I wasn’t sure.

And the light emanating from her body.

That’s the light of Flora.

It seemed she somehow managed to perform the ritual for extracting the spirit’s power, which hadn’t existed 400 years ago.

But I had no idea when that ritual would end.

I couldn’t just leave Pina like this.

And Stella looked like she might commit suicide if left to her own thoughts.

I thought I had to finish this quickly, focusing on the front.

I saw a woman with wild black hair cascading like a madwoman. Her hair was long enough to touch the ground.

Each strand wriggled like a snake.

And… she resembled Stella.

“Stella. Is that woman your mother?”

“U-uh… No…!”

Stella weakly shook her head.

Then the woman in front of me chuckled.

“She’s not my mom. If I had to say, she’d be my aunt? Want to try calling her Aunt Samaela?”

“D-Don’t call her that…!”

If she’s an aunt, does that mean she’s the sister of Stella’s mother?

“From your reaction, you two don’t seem very close.”

“It can’t be helped. I’m seeing my niece again after 14 years since she was created, after all.”

At the word “created,” Stella gasped and looked at me.

I shrugged and glanced at Stella.

“You’re not very close with that woman, are you?”

“How could we be… N-no way…”

“Then I guess it’s okay to hit her?”

“…Huh?”

Stella made a dumbfounded sound.

The woman standing in front of me, Samaela, widened her eyes and smirked.

“Did I hear you wrong?”

“What do you mean?”

“Didn’t you just say you’d hit me?”

“You heard right.”

What was Samaela’s skill? I can’t tell.

It felt like being shrouded in a thick fog.

My guess would be, at the edge of the 7th circle.

What magic does she use? The only one that I sense is poison.

And in this room, a creeping entity in the shape of a snake.

There is no sticky, oddly alluring magic.

She doesn’t use the illusion type spells.

Her fingers, visible from her wide sleeves, were dark. She had poison smeared under her nails. The shape of those fingers looked bizarre. Should I call it a snake technique? A sorcery?

For a dark mage, her preparations for close combat were thorough. But it seemed she hadn’t anticipated my approach, her fingers stiff.

I tightened my bandages. Gathered my loose hair into a tie and took off my outer garment.

Samaela. That dark mage is strong.

If I were to fight both Paid and Samaela at the same time, I couldn’t guarantee victory.

“No matter how audacious I may be, I wouldn’t recklessly lay a hand on my friend’s family.”

But right now, I was alone.

“Stella Behrhaigen.”

“W-what suddenly—”

I grabbed Stella by her collar.

Stella struggled, her feeble hands grasping mine. Regardless, I tossed Stella beside Pina, who was still undergoing the ritual.

If Stella was next to Pina, that dark mage couldn’t target her.

“Consider this your life debt for two times.”

Then can I win?

“Think carefully about how you’ll repay that.”

There was no need to think further.

I kicked off the ground and dashed.

The serpents that had been circling the vast arena opened their mouths wide. Eight serpents made of thought.

No matter how much you smash them, tear them apart, or demolish them, if the master’s heart isn’t broken, they will endlessly regenerate.

That’s what thoughts are.

I would know the effects after experiencing them, but just looking at the fang size and the poison droplet at the tips was terrifying.

I wouldn’t finish without receiving a single hit. I wouldn’t entertain such arrogant thoughts. I would give flesh and take bones.

Before I die poisoned, I will kill first.

As soon as my large step landed on the ground, the thought serpents lunged. Their speed was unexpectedly fast.

Swish!

I clicked my tongue and wrapped my entire body with strong magic. At the same time, Crack!, a pain shot through my side. I didn’t care; I raised my elbow and thrust it in. Even so, I didn’t stop my steps.

I had to close the distance.

Two steps. As Samaela’s wide sleeves fluttered, she raised an arm. From her darkened fingertips, dozens of snakes erupted.

The moment my third step touched the ground, I twisted my body. Crash!, the ground where I had been standing just moments ago caved in. I barely maintained my balance and threw a punch.

With a squish, the dozens of snakes in front of me burst. The remnants that remained were poison. I detonated the strong magic wrapped around my whole body.

Boom!

The remnants of strong magic scattered like cherry blossoms, driving away the poison. The remaining poison touched my skin. A fiery heat, a tingling pain burrowed into my bones.

Clenching my teeth, I took another big step. The distance had shortened instantaneously. Samaela stepped back without flinching.

But it was still a distance I could reach.

First, I would grab her collar. As I reached out with that thought, a chill ran down my spine. I withdrew my hand. Evading her, I rolled my body on the ground.

At the same time, Boom!

A black explosion erupted from the spot where Samaela had just stood.

Poison.

Ha! You’re sharp!

The poison shot up into the air, swirling into gathering clouds that loomed above Samaela. Drops of poison fell from there, melting the ground and emitting a foul smell.

Just the smell alone… made my stomach turn.

I took a deep breath. I needed to penetrate through that.

I would manage the thought serpents, dodge the poison cloud’s rain, fend off Samaela’s direct attacks, and strike back.

Are there any other means of attack? There must be more. Samaela hasn’t used magic yet.

But can I do it?

I can do it.

I spread mana. The blood path raced through me like crazy, heating my body with mana that seeped out. Softly glowing pink mana enveloped me.

This isn’t guardian magic.

It’s a more aggressive form.

The deity that could call me a fortress.

“You always have those issues. You do everything so well, and yet you say the spell names at the last second?”

For some reason, I felt Luna’s critique ringing in my ears… but I didn’t dwell on it.

After pondering for three days, I finally named it.

I think it’s… cool in its own way.

I lifted my tightly clenched fists. I relaxed the muscles in my entire body. As I did so, the explosive flow of mana grew fiercer.

Samaela’s eyes narrowed.

“That appearance—”

At the same time.

The light flashed and, Splotch!

Crimson blood sprayed through the air. My fist struck Samaela’s face. However, the blood wasn’t hers.

It was the blood bursting from my own arm.

As I connected, the thought serpent that was guarding near Samaela bit into my arm.

I didn’t care.

The important thing was that I made contact with Samaela and she couldn’t respond. I didn’t stop moving.

“What just—”

I threw another punch.

Samaela’s eyes followed my fist. Her sleeves fluttered, and snakes surged from among them. The poison cloud churned and spat out toxins, and the snakes charged at me.

Everything was shot out to stop my fist.

And then, the light flashed.

Crash!

My fist sank into Samaela’s abdomen. I didn’t stop there. I swung my arm like a whip and struck her chin. I kicked forward, slamming my elongated shin into her.

With each hit, Samaela would react and try to move to block.

But she couldn’t.

That’s what this deity is for.

If I had a weapon, even just a short dagger, this woman would already be a pin cushion.

I clicked my tongue and twisted my body.

A sinister light glimmered.

The first fist hit her solar plexus. The second foot stamped her instep. The third elbow struck her carotid artery. The fourth finger pierced her abdomen, and the fifth knee hit her spine.

One step, two steps, three steps. With each blow, Samaela retreated. When my sixth hit sank into her solar plexus…

“Geh, huff…!”

For the first time, she let out a ragged breath.

At that moment, her gaze changed. Her claws glistened ominously from her fluttering sleeves.

I quickly turned my body. Swoosh!—a deadly slicing sound accompanied my rapid spin.

Claws. The fabric of my clothes was sliced away. But that wasn’t all; it split into dozens of strands in midair. The severed strands were drenched in poison and turned to ash.

“Does a snake have claws?”

“Your tongue is pretty long.”

“Do you think it’s longer than a snake’s?”

At my jab, an irritable sound came from Samaela’s gritted teeth. I seized the opportunity and grabbed a handful of hair shot towards me. I wove it tightly around my arm.

That hair burrowed deep as if it were alive. Crushing muscles, tearing nerves, gnawing bones. It’s what I wanted. I tightened my grip further.

Astonishment crossed Samaela’s face.

The muscles were crushed, nerves torn apart. Even bones were grinding down, yet I moved my hand to clutch even tighter.

How could this be?

By controlling mana. It’s only possible by finely manipulating the mana within my body.

Of course, it’s not something just anyone can do.

Only I can. Only Ronan Luzarack can perform this technique.

In that state, I gathered my breath.

I extended one leg slightly, transferring my weight back with the other. My body turned sideways, and I extended my arm. Almost fully extended, I slightly bent it.

I wouldn’t clench my fist. Naturally, I opened my hand, aiming my fingertips at my opponent.

Will it succeed? Will I accomplish this?

I remember Arisa’s figure. I know the power. I’ve been hit by it several times in sparring.

So I can do it.

If a chimp can do it, there’s no way I can’t.

I clenched my fist. Realizing something was off, Samaela moved to take action.

The serpents surrounding the area lunged at me. Her deadly claws swung toward my nape. The poison cloud spewed forth toxins, and countless strands of hair surged toward me.

At that moment, my fingertips were already aiming for Samaela’s heart.

I shifted my weight forward. Power that began at my toes spread throughout my body. My waist and shoulders twisted simultaneously. I detonated the mana to add an even more intense rotation.

The power that had spread converged into my right arm. The mana running wild in my blood path gathered in my right arm. When the mana could no longer be contained, it erupted forth as strong magic enveloping my right hand.

When everything converged into one point.

My open hand became a fist, striking Samaela’s chest.

The fist detonated.

Psh!

Samaela’s body slammed into the wall.

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